$23,307

203

Most stretch goals (excepting large printed posters, game books, dice and larger than man-sized figurines) are included at the $75 level but can be added on to any pledge level $15 or more.

Introducing Whisper & Venom

Whisper & Venom is Lesser Gnome's debut gaming product. It
is an ambitious, high-quality adventure and regional setting bundled with
first-rate accessories and additional materials designed to enhance its
enjoyment. The goal from the beginning was to make the game as beautiful to
read and browse as it is fun to play.

The principle product of this project is this...

Whisper & Venom is Lesser Gnome's debut gaming product. It is an ambitious, high-quality adventure and regional setting bundled with first-rate accessories and additional materials designed to enhance its enjoyment. Our goal from the beginning was to make the game as beautiful to read and browse through as it is fun to play.

Written as a tribute to the fantasy adventures and role-playing game accessories of the 1980's, Whisper & Venom has been intentionally designed to be useful to players and game masters of any fantasy role-playing system.

Why Did Lesser Gnome Choose Kickstarter?

Simple. We wanted to make the single best fantasy role-playing game product possible. One that was designed with old-school role-playing games in mind but interesting and exciting for any fantasy role-playing system.

Plus, without the support of backers like you who want to see deluxe versions of these kinds of games, it would be prohibitive to create in the way I wanted to see it sold. How did I want it sold? I wanted it with as many top quality accessories as humanly possible.

Mostly though I wanted miniatures. Enough custom sculpted figurines from the adventure itself that any Game Master would have what they needed for every encounter. When I was young I always felt role-playing game adventures adventures should have come with the figurines needed to play. Well they didn't. So I just had to do it myself- with the help of every single like-minded role-playing game fan I could find.

The funds raised coupled with my own already significant personal investment will be enough to ship a superb high-quality boxed game that I will be proud to have made and all of us will be proud to own.

After the project funds everything gets exciting. Stretch goals are what can turn an awesome adventure and setting into a truly tarrasque-choking, box-busting product full of accessories and miniatures truly worthy of the best old-school style gaming has to offer.

As stretch goals are surpassed new rewards become available and to higher backer levels most are included free of charge.

NOTE: The becoming available means they will be available. At every level with a $15 pledge or higher they are available inexpensively as add-on purchases for backers (and for extras if you already got one included as a higher pledge reward).

The Whisper & Venom Kickstarter Project is the culmination of two years of work and significant up-front financial investment on my part (my meaning Zach Glazar,the Project Creator). The intent was to produce the best fantasy role-playing supplement I could imagine. Not only top-notch game content, but the highest quality components and extras possible—which enhance enjoyment for both players and game masters significantly.

All in a single box for a fair price.

What are the pledge levels and backer rewards?

I want as many people as possible to play and enjoy Whisper & Venom. To ensure it is accessible and affordable it is being made available in many formats at different pledge levels.

Boxed Set Level Rewards-

Together, we can find out just how high the quality can be pushed on a product. If the funding level is met, you will receive a complete supplement—in a commercial-grade box with game-play enhancing extras. As the funding level grows the value of the boxed-set grows with it making every new backer intrinsic to the final product delivered to everyone. Better printing, better dice, monster cards and a whole lot more are planned as upgrades to the basic boxed version.

Once Whisper & Venom has reached its funding goal, the sky becomes the limit. A complete set with high quality maps, custom dice and (with enough support), a custom figurine for every encounter. This ultimate goal is simple and can be logistically accomplished considering the investments already made in the core product. It will take huge support from you to get there but I can assure you the final product will be awesome!

The details. Then more details. Finally even more details.

Updates

I am going to attempt to limit updates as much as I can. I have backed a large number of products and do not mind getting them. I do however want to keep people from turning them off so most of the project information will be in the comments.

The Stretch Goals for Whisper & Venom will alternate between added and upgraded components. In order to have a good chance of funding the original goal was intentionally kept low. Enough to cover the cost of producing a retail quality adventure in four distinct formats. It was important to me to provide an affordable an experience with Whisper & Venom as possible- even the lowest pledge levels without compromising on quality.

Upgrade stretch goals increase the quality of the delivered product with commitment to incrementally improve some aspect of the reward for every backer. Examples of upgrade stretch goals being considered for inclusion are things like higher quality paper for every print product, expanded content that improves the game play for all backer levels, switching to color dungeon maps and more.

Expansion stretch goals are new game pieces or components that will be available for free to backers at the deluxe level or higher. Miniatures fall into this category; other possibilities are custom dice, laminate encounter trackers or monster cards.

All the stretch goals will be available as paid add-ons to any backer pledging for a reward level above $15 or higher.

Did you say miniatures a couple sentences ago?

Yes I did mention miniatures, briefly, but I want to elaborate on them some more.

I have always felt that a complete adventure should include miniatures- ideally enough to provide game masters with figurines for every potential encounter described in the given text. There are solid reasons this has not happened commercially on a large scale before- risk. With crowd funding that type of risk is minimized by galvanizing interest and support before the truly daunting costs, printing and manufacturing, are incurred.

So if you, like me, ever wished for more truly deluxe and comprehensive product choices this is your opportunity to be a part of just such a project.

To give you an idea of the potential relating to stretch goals I present to you this four word synopsis...

A lot of miniatures.

What defines how many miniatures are in "a lot of miniatures"?

Your support is ultimately what determines how many figurines and other upgrades will be included in the final product. There will be at least four minis produced if we only fund without reaching any stretch goals.

There are 16 more than 90% completed sculpts for miniatures that are ready for early stretch goals. All that is needed in order for them to be included in the final product is your support. That is it- no waiting on sculpts, concept artists or other bottleneck inducing production details.

Past the 18 (yes, 18 plans are in place for as many more to be made on time as funding will support. They will begin the production process as the project support grows enough to justify hitting the 'go' button. I can promise the down payments on them will be made prior to the end of the project- in fact it will happen as they are unlocked.

I have money set aside for this purpose. There really is no limit to how many except backer support!

The figurines that already exist have been sculpted by top-notch sculptors (Tim Prow, Mark Evans and Nicolas Genovese). I can potentially include one for every adversary in Whisper & Venom with even more possibilities from the players guide! Yes, that includes local fauna, townsfolk, standard monster selections types and even adventuring gnomes!

Add-ons are available to any backer who has pledged for the $15 Level or higher. Why? To be honest one of the guys who truly made this happen was Matt from Center Stage Miniatures and miniatures is his (increasingly successful) business. The worst way to thank him would be to get into miniatures only crowd funding. As it is I am close enough.

Shameless side plug. If you want miniatures from an old-school company run by a great guy who cares about quality then Matt is your go to guy.

Who is behind this exactly?

An impressive list of details regarding freelancers, contributors and everyone else involved in this project can be found in the FAQ.
Lesser Gnome's Head Gnome, Zach Glazar, is the author of Whisper& Venom and the project facilitator.

Although many people contributed talent, advice and support, the gnome behind the curtain for this project will be Zach (me) and any personal pronouns and commitments are his and his alone. Feel free to praise everyone else though.

So What's Your Story?

As a lifelong fan of fantasy role-playing I have always wanted to create a product that I would be proud to purchase myself. I am a pretty good judge, as I am a borderline compulsive consumer of games buying nearly every one I find. I am especially drawn to products evoking a classic feel of the fantasy games of my youth. I love the early adventures and accessories from the classic companies of the 70's and 80's. I still do. In fact, there is an overflowing closet full of products from my childhood that sit there as a testament to my happy obsession. On the shelves next to the vintage stuff are hundreds of modern offerings each carefully cataloged after having been read at least once.

What gets me most excited when I buy a product? Quality writing and top-notch accessories. When sales were at their apex for our hobby, the most exciting games and modules came in boxes loaded with poster maps, dice and amazing artwork of the imaginative places you could explore.

More in the FAQ

A wealth of information is available in the FAQ to answer any questions you may have. If you have any specific feedback or questions for Lesser Gnome please feel free to leave it in the comments. If you would prefer to ask personally or have a question best asked outside a public forum, please feel free to contact me via Facebook or email.

The earlier you support the better the value of your reward!

Risks and challenges

Why should I trust you with my money?

Simply because I am capable of delivering and I have already put forward a great deal of money to see this through. I have backed 60 projects and learned something from each that turned out useful in the planning and execution of the Whisper & Venom Kickstarter.

Outside of Kickstarter I have professional experience managing projects in government and multi-unit retail game stores (for video games). I won't bore everyone with the details here but if you want to know more please ask and I will fill you in.

How can you guarantee my pledge reward? In truth I can't. I did the next best thing by alleviating much of the risk of being a backer. How? Simply by paying for everything possible upfront so that no unexpected costs can get into the way of your positive experience with Lesser Gnome.

What are the risks?

Well in Kickstarter the risk to the backer is in not receiving all of the reward that matched their pledge level. For Whisper & Venom I have done everything in my power to minimize these risks for everyone in advance. Primarily this has been done in two ways. First by being finished with everything except manufacturing and backer collaboration portions (which are important but minimal in scope to the final) and, more importantly, by having paid for all miniature sculpts, art, cartography and editing for the core product already.

Yes paid for, in full, with my own money.

I have paid for all the creative inputs from freelancers, sculptors and editors already in order to guarantee all the funds received from this project are available for fulfillment.

If you haven't been shipped anything by January 30th of 2014 I will do everything in my power to make it right. Up to and including a refund on what you haven't received. I will even eat the Kickstarter fees.

What about the endless delays experienced by some other projects? Delays on things I do not, and cannot, directly control are an unfortunate possibility but I have a solution. It puts the risk on me and at the same time gives a pretty powerful in incentive to keep the supply chain humming. It is also quite simple

I am glad you are taking a look at the project and hope you become one of our backers.

Support this project

Select this reward

Pledge $1 or more
About $1.00

Well-Wisher- Want to watch our progress? Considering supporting higher reward levels as the project unfolds? Well for $1 you get that along with sincere gratitude from Lesser Gnome. As an appropriate quid pro quo for your support a work gang of indentured pixies will mow your lawn in between their other duties as miserable goblin slaves. They are invisible though so be warned!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $5 or more
About $5

Postal Gnome- Love Gnomes? Have a mailing address? Thopas is about to go postal!

For little more than the price of a hot caffeinated beverage Lesser Gnome's CEO and one man fulfillment army will send you an attractive postcard bearing the likeness of Lesser Gnome's Spokes-gnome Thopas. Signed by Thopas himself with a personal message of enlightenment and/or dating tips (your choice) as thanks for your support.

Thopas believes his wisdom should be dispersed world-wide and thus refuses to charge extra shipping regardless of where the reside (i.e.no additional charge for international backers at this level).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $15 or more
About $15

Prefer Painting?
No problem, Lesser Gnome has you covered as well. At the Metal Gnome level you receive the initial four miniatures from the boxed-set. You can thenadd stretch goal minis to your hearts content. Each mini is individually sculpted by top-notch sculptors. So, for example no two goblins from any stretch reward are alike. Many are planned and the add-on rate will be very reasonable so you can get the ones you need.

You also will receive the Postal Gnome reward with a postcard bearing a personal message from Thopas. It will regard his belief about environmental lead and how it may have been a net positive for everyone- or a more generalized message of proverb worthy wisdom, your choice!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $25 or more
About $25

Retro-Gnome- Prefer your telephones rotary? Think ascending AC is a travesty? Backers at the Retro-Gnome level will receive the adventure portion of Whisper & Venom as a golden age style gate-fold module- complete with staples! Times may change but Lesser Gnome respects your choosing a grognard lifestyle.
However, in case you are forced into the digital era, a quality Digital Gnome PDF (suitable for back-up drives and cloud storage) is included.
When your time-capsule ready module is at the printer Lesser Gnome will also include a personalized postcard containing a barely SFW rumination from Thopas on what gaming used to be and how it lost its way.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $30 or more
About $30

Roaming Gnome- Fascinated by Maps? Love Fantasy Cartography? With a $30 pledge you will get a 42" x 30" color poster of the Whisper Vale Regional Map that was hand-drawn by Alyssa Faden. Every tree, hill, stream and settlement uniquely drawn in a way that is not done for games anymore. This will be on 36 lb presentation paper and sent separately rolled in a cardboard shipping tube. We will ship international on a case by case basis as the tubes are large and expensive. This gorgeous and frame-ready map can be added-on to existing reward levels by increasing your current pledge by $30 (plus agreed upon international shipping if you are outside the US). Please read the backer updates and the reward description on the main page as there are upgrade options that will be available. This is truly a special piece if you love fantasy games and remember the hand-drawn maps from the early days of fantasy role-playing.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $35 or more
About $35

One Book Gnome- Softcover Whisper & Venom Adventure & Players Guide in a single book. The perfect bound solution for the cost conscious gamer. Want to see what the fuss is about? At $35 you will receive all the written material from the Deluxe-Boxed Set Version of Whisper & Venom- minus the deluxe part and the box part.
This comprehensive one volume book is perfect for backpacks and bookshelves.
This reward level includes either a mini-rant about the injustice of your choice from Thopas on a postcard from the Postal Gnome reward level.
Oh yeah, you get the PDF version of Whisper & Venom from the Digital Gnome level as well.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $50 or more
About $50

Whisper & Venom Boxed Set- Basic box set of Whisper & Venom complete with Player’s Guide, Adventure Sourcebook, the full color two-sided poster map, a set of polyhedral dice, one (1) Thopas mini, and three (3) goblin minis- all in a nostalgic boxed set. The basic box includes the PDF file from the $15 level. You will also receive a mini-rant from Thopas regarding superhero or geek cliché topics on a postcard (your choice of cliché) via US mail as well.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $75 or more
About $75

The Straight Thop!- Receive the Deluxe Boxed Set of Whisper & Venom that includes everything from the $50 level plus free add-ons of most stretch goal rewards. You get the Player’s Guide, the Adventure Sourcebook, the full color two-sided poster map, a set of polyhedral dice, one (1) Thopas mini, and three (3) goblin minis- all in an awesome boxed set that is perfect for any shelf.
The Straight Thop! Level includes the PDF file from the $15 level as well.
Postal Gnome reward is included with a mini-tantrum from Thopas on the trouble with modern youth via US Mail.
ALL MINIATURE STRETCH GOALS EXCEPT HUGE SIZED ARE ADDED FREE AT THIS LEVEL!!!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $95 or more
About $95

Sold your RPG Books? Mom throw them away when you left for college? Well Lesser Gnome has your back or, shall we say, your book.

Make Whisper & Venom an all-in-one product with a set of rules! You get everything from the Straight Thop! Level plus you get a copy of The Labyrinth Lord Rules from Goblinoid Games.

At the Gnome Rules reward level you get the Player’s Guide, the Adventure Sourcebook, the full color two-sided poster map, a set of polyhedral dice, one (1) Thopas mini, and three (3) goblin minis plus the Labyrinth Lord RPG Rulebook! The Gnome Rules! Level includes the PDF file from the $15 level as well.

The Postal Gnome reward is included featuring a rumination from Thopas about the inherent unfairness of taxation via US Mail.

ALL MINIATURE STRETCH GOALS EXCEPT HUGE SIZED ARE ADDED FREE AT THIS LEVEL!!!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $100 or more
About $100

Retailer Gnome- Qualified Retailers US Only! Two (2) copies of the Whisper & Venom Boxed Set (No Stretch Goals), two (2) Softcover Copies of Whisper & Venom and 1 Retail incentive SWAG Box (includes figurines packaged for retail sale- number depends on project total funding but it will be very nice). Contact me with details before bidding for specifics. Unverified or unreachable backers will receive 2 copies of the Boxed-Set! US Only!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $130 or more
About $130

O.A.G.- Original Art Gnome- You get the Straight Thop! with its stretch goal perks plus original an original Pen & Ink Illustration used in Whisper & Venom. The choices for your new masterpiece are shown on the project page. Since it is one of a kind the five pieces offered are first pledged first choice. We will indicate what has already been pledged for as the project unfolds.Lloyd Metcalf will also sign your game books along with the author.
PDF and Postal Gnome Reward (This time written by Lloyd) are also added at this level.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $150 or more
About $150

Deluxe Thopas Level- Everything from the Straight Thop! Level plus ALL stretch goal rewards plus NPC Townsfolk Name Option! Be immortalized and give guidance as we create a completely new Human, Goblin, Dwarf, Gnome or Pixie Character! Original sketch of your NPC will be sent to you! As the character will be included in the game there are limitations so please ask about feasibility if you have any concerns.
You get the PDF from the $15 reward level and you get BOTH the author’s signature on the game and a post card extolling your many virtues written by Thopas himself via US mail!
ALL STRETCH GOALS ARE ADDED AT NO ADDITTIONAL CHARGE AT THIS LEVEL!!!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $175 or more
About $175

Sine Qua Gnome! Level- Includes everything from the $70 Straight Thop! Level plus Thopas' "Big Sack o'Swag"! ALL Stretch Goal miniatures!
You will receive the complete Boxed Set with Player Guide, Adventure Sourcebook, Set of Polyhedral Dice ,two (2) copies of the two-sided poster map one (2) Thopas Mini, six (6) goblin minis + Double Fulfillment on all man-sized stretch goal minis (including small creatures figurines)! Also included at this reward level is your choice of one of the following: Retro-Style Module Version, Soft Cover Single Volume of Whisper & Venom OR Goblinoid Games Labyrinth Lord Softcover Rules.

The PDF adventure and a postcard from Thopas revealing his darkest suspicions about current celebrities (or other topic of your choice) via US Mail. All the game books are signed and personalized by the author.

All Stretch Goals Added for Free!! Double Fulfillment on Man-sized or smaller figurines!!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $225 or more
About $225

Sine Qua PAINTED Gnome Level- Everything exactly as the $175 level with the addition of having four (4) professionally painted minis from the initial boxed set added to the bundle- three (3) goblin warriors and (1) Thopas. It is lucky for backers who choose this level that the painting will not be done by the author or anyone else at Lesser Gnome. Instead it will be completed by the Midwest Miniature Guy himself, Tom Nelson! See example on the project page. Figurines will come shipped separately straight from the paint master to your house (or boat or cave or whatever)! They are quality display pieces made for small displays!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $265 or more
About $265

C.A.G. II - Custom Acrylic Gnome- Sine Qua Gnome not really luxurious enough for you? At the C.A.G. II level a backer can take their love of fantasy art to a new and truly unique level. Do you think custom character portraits are cool? How about getting a custom acrylic painting created by Lloyd Metcalf to your specifications. It can include your character, our suspiciously charming spokes-gnome Thopas or some other scene related to Whisper & Venom.

Working with artist extraordinaire Lloyd Metcalf, the Custom Acrylic Gnome level backer will witness their vision become a unique piece of painted art. Do you like canvas? I certainly hope not- as Lloyd will be working his magic on a primed, acid free 1/8” x 9” x 12” wood panel suitable for framing. This is professional art and thus Lloyd Metcalf’s style and skill will be evident in even the smallest details.

You also get everything from the $75 Straight Thop! level which includes the Player’s Guide, the Adventure Sourcebook, the full color two-sided poster map, a set of polyhedral dice, one (1) Thopas mini, and three (3) goblin minis- all in an awesome boxed set . Of course you also get the PDF from the $15 reward level and you get BOTH the author’s signature on the game and a post card written by Thopas himself describing your unsurpassed taste in art via US mail!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $275 or more
About $275

Ultimate Gnome! Everything in the Sine Qua Gnome Level except more! This time more includes a one of a kind reward- an original oil painting by Whisper & Venom artist Lloyd Metcalf of Thopas. You also get all three books (Retro Gatefold Module/Soft Cover Single Volume Copy of Whisper & Venom AND Goblinoid Games Labyrinth Lord Softcover Rules. Plus all the stretch goals added at no extra charge with double fulfillment on all figurines (including the big ones)!! PDF Adventure and Postal Gnome reward post card with Thopas swearing his undying fealty to you (with his fingers crossed while writing it)! Oh yeah, the author will sign all your game books as well!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $2,500 or more
About $2,500

God Emperor Thopas!- If it is related to this project and you sign up at the God Emperor Thopas level you can have it. Three (3) $175 level packages with enough figurines to choke a dragon and I will let the backer choose his load out. Receive the ORIGINAL Acyrilic Painting by Jeff Dee. PLUS Create a Monster or NPC for inclusion in Whisper & Venom AND Name a Major Landmark on the regional map! More as well (If Kickstarter would allow it the creator would toss in his soul to seal the deal- sadly they don’t allow that). There are some requirements, please contact me before bidding for complete details!